Contents

Introduction

The Veteran Reserve Corps was originally called the Invalid Corps from April 1863 until March 1864 and lasted until the end of the Civil War in 1865. The Corps was a military organization within the Union Army that gave light duty to partially disabled or otherwise infirm soldiers (or former soldiers). This allowed more able-bodied soldiers to serve in combat. About 60,000 men served in the Reserves. They performed guard duty, did patrol duty at Washington D.C., and enforced the draft.[1]

Records

United States. Adjutant General's Office. Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers who Served in the Veteran Reserve Corps. (Washington [District of Columbia] : The National Archives, 1965). 26 microfilms starting with FHL film 1205358

Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion [U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps]...(Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1994). FHL microfiche 6118633 This book was ompiled and arranged from official records of the Federal and Confederate armies, reports of the Adjutant Generals of the several states, the Army registers and other reliable documents and sources. It includes the regimental histories pertaining to the U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps (p. 1741-1747).

United States. Army. Veteran Reserve Corps. Field Record of Officers of the Veteran Reserve Corps from Commencement to the Close of the Rebellion. (Bethesda, Maryland : University Publications of America, c1994). FHL microfiche 6118635

Other Sources

Beginning United States Civil War Research gives steps for finding information about a Civil War soldier or sailor. It covers the major records that should be used. Additional records are described in 'Florida in the Civil War' and 'United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865' (see below).

National Park Service, The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, is searchable by soldier's name and state. It contains basic facts about soldiers on both sides of the Civil War, a list of regiments, descriptions of significant battles, sources of the information, and suggestions for where to find additional information.

United States Civil War, 1861 to 1865 describes and explains United States and Confederate States records, rather than state records, and how to find them. These include veterans’ censuses, compiled service records, pension records, rosters, cemetery records, Internet databases, published books, etc.